“Phil” Marks The Directorial Debut Of Greg Kinnear

04 July 2019

by Joey Magidson

Hollywoodnews.com

Whenever an actor steps behind the camera, one can’t help but wonder why they chose the material that they chose for their debut. It doesn’t matter whether you’re Bradley Cooper remaking A Star Is Born last year or Greg Kinnear this week with Phil. You just are inherently curious. It’s especially the case here, as Kinnear proves a capable filmmaker, though one in need of a stronger script. Yes, while Kinnear’s acting and directing here are solid, the writing isn’t up to snuff. The end result is a dramedy that is at times inane and at times moving, though unfortunately more so the former than the latter. At the movie’s start, Dr. Phil Maguire (Kinnear) is a dentist on the verge of suicide. In fact, he’s planning to do it, but just sort of chickens out. Then, a colleague refers a patient over to him.